In honor of National Dog Day – here is
ours doing what she most loves - rolling in the snow (no, it’s not snowing here,
YET! This is from earlier in the year, but appropriate for today). She's enjoying pure joy!

On day #600 (who would have ever
believed I would continue blogging this long – with plans to keep going
strong!), we worship! Here’s the family! Truly a day to give thanks!

And…I received the following in an
email. This is much longer than the usual Daily Intersection Blog, but truly
worth the read.

How
much do we notice as we go through a day?

Lisa Beamer on
Good Morning America - If you remember, she's the wife of Todd Beamer who said
"Let's Roll!", and helped take down the plane over Pennsylvania that
was heading for Washington, DC back on 9/11. She said "It's the little
things that she misses most about Todd, such as hearing the garage door open as
he came home, and her children running to meet him."

Lisa recalled this
story: "I had a very special teacher in high school many years ago
whose husband died suddenly of a heart attack. About a week after his death,
she shared some of her Insight with a classroom of students. As the late
afternoon sunlight came streaming in through the classroom windows and the
class was nearly over, she moved a few things aside on the edge of her desk and
sat down there.

With a gentle
look of reflection on her face, she paused and said, 'Class is over, I would
like to share with all of you, a thought that is unrelated to class, but which
I feel Is very important. Each of us is put here on earth to learn,
share, love, appreciate and give of ourselves. None of us knows when this
fantastic experience will end. It can be taken away at any moment. Perhaps this
is God's way of telling us that we must make the most out of every single day.'

Her eyes began
to water as she went on, 'So I would like you all to make me a promise. From
now on, on your way to school, or on your way home, find something beautiful to
notice. It doesn't have to be something you see, it could be a scent,
perhaps of freshly baked bread wafting out of someone's house, or it could be
the sound of the breeze slightly rustling the leaves in the trees, or the way the
morning light catches one autumn leaf as it falls gently to the ground.

Please look
for these things, and cherish them. For, although it may sound trite to
some, these things are the "stuff" of life. The little things
we are put here on earth to enjoy. The things we often take for granted.'

The class was
completely quiet. We all picked up our books and filed out of the room
silently. That afternoon, I noticed more things on my way home from school than
I had that whole semester. Every once in a while, I think of that teacher and
remember what an impression she made on all of us, and I appreciate all of
those things that sometimes we all overlook.

Take notice of something special you see
today. Go barefoot. Or walk on the beach at sunset. Stop off on the
way home tonight to get a double dip ice cream cone. For as we get older, it is
not the things we did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do.

The word for the day - teamwork! There has been a concerted effort to accomplish a lot around the office in order to be ready for some vacation and general time off. It has been busy - and a tad stressful. Yet, the teamwork effort has paid off.

I am giving thanks for the accomplishments - and looking forward to some days with fewer hours behind the desk.

August 19, 2015 d365 for the last two weeks has taken time off from the regular Sunday readings and focused on the theme of going to or back to school. I thought the one for 8/19 is especially appropriate. Ann Whitfield Carter talks about the reading from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, verse 27, which is: "He responded, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and
love your neighbor as yourself.” This is what she has to say:

I love this passage because it gives concrete ways to love God. My senior pastor breaks it down like this: When you spend your days learning in school, you are loving God with all your mind. When you exercise, play sports, or rest, you are loving God with all of your strength. When you spend quality time with those you love, or you do those hobbies that bring you joy, you are loving God with all your heart. And when you nurture your spiritual life, whether through prayer, Scripture reading, or worship, you are loving God with all your being. And to have a balanced life, you need to include all four of these into your everyday life. We do most of these things every day. Now we just need to be mindful of God’s presence when we do them. This will change us on the inside. And whenever we love those around us at school or in our neighborhood or on our team, even those who are hard to love, we are loving God in a way that changes others’ lives. This is what will change our world.

After three weeks of the Gospel of John, chapter 6, hearing about, thinking about, and pondering about who Jesus is as the bread of life, we finally get a rather concrete nod and connection to Holy Communion. As Jesus says in verse 53: “... unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.”

Strong word - unless! True, but these words also contain a promise. God’s promise that as we eat and drink, we do have life in us. As we “chomp” on Jesus, he clings to us as inseparably as food does in our systems. Meaning life now AND life forever.

Every week, I am thankful and humbled that the church hears: “the body of Christ, given for you.” “the blood of Christ, shed for you.” “remember how much God loves you!” How awesome! How assuring! How hopeful!

When I saw this post, I was reminded about the importance of returning a smile to children.

And I was reminded to consider who we might be making an impression upon when we do not even realize it. People do watch us, especially as Christians. We are watched for what we do and what we say and how they jive.

Humbling, isn’t it? And inspiring. And simple. After all, how difficult is it to smile back at someone, especially a child? Oh, but how important?!

One of the local long-term care facilities sponsors a monthly breakfast that is open to the public with an outcome being charitable contributions. What happens is that the facility pays the costs of the food and for a relatively low price (additional donations are accepted), folks enjoy a delicious buffet breakfast and the proceeds received are given to a local agency. This month the agency that received over $400 was Family Promise.

What a great idea! Certainly the facility receives names of potential future residents in the process (there are a couple of door prizes randomly chosen from those who fill out slips with their names and phone numbers), but what a creative way to do public outreach, as well as public relations. Hmmm….

There are many risks in life, most of which are attached to consequences of some sort. For example, take a risk and drive while under the influence of alcohol and the consequences could be dire.

Okay, that may be an extreme example. What is on my mind right now is more the risk of being “public” with thoughts and prayers. Certainly I trust that the folks who regularly read this blog (and thank you for doing so!!!) have my best interests at heart. But realizing that there have been over 8,000 (eight thousand!) views since I began (only a portion of which are my own to look up something, etc) means that lots more people see this than I can imagine. I am humbled by that. Truly!

Suffice it to say that I see it somewhat as a risk to be this public about my thoughts and my prayers. However, I also know that by taking the risk to be public, especially regarding my prayer concerns, means that not only am I open to the consequence of being vulnerable, I am also open to the consequence (hope) that many others add my concerns to their prayers, too. And who knows (only God) what the result of that can be!?

So thank you to those who have included my concern over my dear friend to their prayers. And who reach out to me in support. What a gift and blessing!

Monday, August 10, 2015

August 10, 2015As the journey is just beginning
for my dear friend (see Day #573), we touch base most every day. I am thankful,
and honored, for every bit of communication – text, talk, whatever. But I am most thankful for the One
who hears our conversations, knows our hearts, and knows her needs and
thoughts. I am thankful for God, who I can talk to with her, for her, about her, and for
me, trusting that God does not disappoint or turn away, but will guide her,
lift her and keep her. In all ways and always.Blessings.

August 8, 2015We all need peace in our lives.
Some of us need more peace than others, especially at certain times. An
unsettling week with many pieces of news that were not what I hoped to hear,
and some other things that just seemed to push my buttons (see Day #583), the “impatient with others” moments are happening more often than I like (thank you, dear husband, for
enduring!). So when I saw this, I knew it is what I need:

Silently speak this centering prayer
throughout the day:

Peace be with you, _________ (your
name).

Peace be with you, _________ (the
name of someone you know who needs peace).

This reminder really helps. It is similar to the prayer I have suggested to others:

August 7, 2015The word for the day – awe! I am in
awe of the artistic, healing, beautiful talent of others. We went to an art
show and the paintings, pottery, and all the other items for sale are gorgeous.
How wonderful that folks have those talents and share them with others and the
world. I’m in awe!Blessings.

“I’m a pastor. I get paid by the
word.” This is not a quote or idea I came up with, but somewhere along the line
I picked it up and have used it in kidding with others about the length of a sermon or Bible Study. But in reality it does have double-meaning: I get paid by the Word, Jesus
Christ. Yet, don't we all get paid by the Word? Or at least uplifted, forgiven,
loved, accepted, etc. (which, by the way, none of those deserve to have “at
least” identify them) by the Word?

So where is all the talk about “word”
going? It is on my mind due to my own frustration when the words I speak don’t
seem to hit the mark. When I cannot seem to get across in a coherent manner
what I’m trying to say, or explain, or think through with someone. It’s a
frustration I notice more as pastor than ever before in my life. I used to
think I was a good communicator, not as much now. J

Sometimes the hardest part of
speaking, though, is listening. Hearing what the other person is actually
asking so that I can answer their question. And when I miss the mark with that
one, the frustration is really in me and with my inadequacies. A friend reminds
me I’m not perfect. I know that, but I sure would like my communication skills
to be as close to perfect as possible.

So, from the second reading for
Sunday, August 9th, come these important words in Ephesians 4:29: Let
no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up,as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.

Amen and Amen! Paid by the word?
Well…..certainly uplifted (and convicted) by it!!

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

The word for the day - thankful! Thankful for a loving husband who spoils me. Thankful for technology that keeps me in touch with people I love. Thankful for colleagues to study with. Thankful for the availability of doctors and medical tests. Thankful for God, who receives all our worries and hears our prayers.

Staff Planning Meeting. Five of us gathered around a table with scripture, prayer and calendars in order to spend an afternoon thinking, dreaming, and discerning how we can best work together to build up the Kingdom through the congregation where we serve/work. There were many good ideas, along with much hope.

I am proud of the staff I work with. They do their jobs well and care about the jobs they do. I hope I tell them often enough, and that they hear, that I appreciate them!

In a recent conversation, I listened to deep fear as someone was worried about not doing what God wants them to do. They shared how they are concerned almost to hopelessness that they will be turned away by God because of not getting the message out as God wants them to.

I have thought about this conversation a lot. I suppose what troubles me is their stressing about whether they are living their faith as God wants them to. I understand wanting to be faithful in responding to what God wants me to do, but where is the line between stressing I am not enough and trusting that God IS working through me, even when I don’t realize I’m being used by God as a reflector.

I suppose many of us worry about whether we do enough or do what we do correctly, but that is where God’s grace comes in. More importantly, that’s where who God is comes in. God is God, as they say, and I am not. Do I trust in God’s promise to claim me as a child of the Kingdom instead of worrying over how I’m working to earn God’s acceptance? Hmmm....

I just love to hear about things our Godson has to say. Here is the latest “Simon says” (it went something like this): After an unfamiliar pastor would not give him Holy Communion during worship on Sunday, he told him, “I want Communion! It’s Jesus saying he loves me.”

How awesome that this young man “gets it?” It’s certainly different than the older person I saw a few days ago who refused Holy Communion and said emphatically, “I don’t want it!” Someone doesn’t want Jesus’ love?! Someone doesn’t want assurance of Jesus’ forgiveness?!

About Me

The Daily Intersection is my attempt to connect the day-to-day events of my life with God's blessing of faith. It's a crossroad, of sorts, where God gets my attention each day and helps me apply what I experience, see, or feel with belief. This is dedicated to our Godson, who I pray one day also stops daily at the intersections, noticing and taking time with God.